Dispenser reel rack



Oct. 25, 1960 G. M. BEARDSLEE D'IsPENsER REEL RACK Filed April 12, 1957 FIG-4 IN VENTOR.

9 GERALD M. BEARDSLEE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 'My' present invention relates to a dispenser rack which is particularly -suited-forthe dispensing of materials,

- such as wire, from reels.

--A primary object oftheinvention is to provide a rack having utility in the electrical industry as "a dispenser, as the rack readily retains'a plurality of spools of wire, is itself conveniently transported and is suitably arranged with manually operable latching mechanism to permit of mounting and 'demounting of spools of heavy material.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of a dispenser rack of simple and improved construction, which is composed of few but simply readily assembled parts also constructed and arranged as to preclude derangement of the same; the major components of which rack are pivotally mounted for movement from .an open to a closedposition for transportation of the rack.

These and other allied objects and advantageslof the invention will be apparent from 'the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is 'a perspective view of the rack of the invention in. open position indicating in dotted line the arrangement of the spools on the rack;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the rack ofFigure 1 in closed position and with the spools removed;

Figure 3 is a somewhat enlarged top plan view of the structure of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partially in section illustrating the latching mechanism of the dispenser rack in latched position; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 but illustrating the latching mechanism in a raised position for being opened to receive a spool of material.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the dispenser rack is shown in Figure 1 in open position and is designated generally by the numeral 1. The rack comprises a first frame 3, a second frame 5, each of which as shown in Figure 1 is substantially planar, U-shaped and vertically extending. Frame 3 comprises opposed tubular cylindrical legs 7, 9 and has a closed upper end 11 and a lower open end indicated generally at 13. Frame 5 comprises opposed tubular cylindrical legs 15, 17, a closed upper end 19 and a lower open end indicated generally at 21. Suitably each frame, as thus far described, is formed of a single integral tubular portion of steel, aluminum or other metal.

Identical latching mechanisms indicated generally at 23 and shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6 are carried on each frame (Figure 1). Only one latching mechanism will be described in detail since all are similar.

Referring to Figures 1, 5 and 6 the latching mechanism includes tubular pivotally mounted cross bar 25 which extends transversely and horizontally between the vertically extending legs. The cross bar 25 has integral therewith a tubular head 27 which is mounted for sliding rotational movement on the legs of the frame.

The-cross bar at opposed end 29 is free for movement,

but is arranged to be-receivedin a socket in theformof a half cup 31 carried by'the frameleg, and which half cupserves as a keeperof 'the'latchingmechanism. The half cups 31-maybe secured to theframe legs in any convenient manner as by being welded thereto or formed integral therewith.

Cross bars 25, as shown -in Figure 1, are in closed latched position and carry the reels shown in dotted line-and indicated by the numeral 33. Mounted below the head 27 of each cross bar is a collar stop 35 which is secured to the frame legagainst sliding and rotational movement by a cotter pin 37, passed through the collar andleg. Collar stop 35 abuts the lower end of head 27 and restricts downward'movement of the head and cross bar on the frame, and in'conjunction with the half cup against the free end'of the cross bar'has been found to be more suitable as it tends to prevent binding.

Toswing the cross bar in the closed position of Figure;5-to the open position of Figure 6, it is merely necessaryto manually slide the cross bar on the head 27 against the' action of' the spring 39, thereby compressingthe spring; this raises the cross bar and the free end 29 thereof and permits the free end to be swung away from the half cup 31. Thehead 27 provides for rotational as well as sliding movement of the cross bar.

Referring now to Figure 2, the rack is shown therein in closed position'with' the spools removed for convenient transportation of the rack. For this purpose, as will be seen from Figure 3, the rack is provided with pivot means designated generally at 44.

To form the pivot means the closed end 11 of frame 3 is provided with a pair of apertured spaced ears designated by the numerals 45, 47. Frame 5 is similarly provided with a pair of spaced apertured ears designated by the numerals 49, 51. The cars 45, 49 abut and overlap laterally, as do the cars 47, 51.

A long cylindrical rod 53 is passed through the mating apertures of the ears to provide the pivot for the frames 3 and 5, as will be apparent from Figure 3. At one end the rod 53 is provided with a cotter pin 55 to inhibit longitudinal rod movement in one direction, and at the other end the rod is suitably peened at 57 to inhibit longitudinal movement relative to the ears in the other direction.

Frame 3 at its lower open end 13 has welded to the leg at strengthening member in the form of a cylindrical cross member 59. Legs 7, 9 are also provided, respectively, with rubber covered feet 61, 63 to inhibit s1iding of the frame. Frame 5 is similarly provided with the lower cross member 65 and feet 67, 69.

As will be noted from Figures 1 and 2 the frame 3 carries three substantially uniformly vertically spaced latched members and is adapted to mount three reels for rotation on the cross members 25. The reel 5 carries two latched members spaced apart approximately the same distance as the latching members of frame 3 and accordingly it is adapted to mount two reels. However, as may be most clearly seen from Figures 1 and 2, the latching mechanisms and cross bars on the frames are alternately spaced vertically, that is, the lower cross bar of frame 3 is below the lower cross bar of frame 5,

Patented Oct. 25,1960

providing the cross bars of one frame intermediate the cross bars of the other frame; that is, the staggered relationship of the cross bars prevents interference between reels mounted on the cross bars. Also then material on the reels carried by each of the frames may be drawn from the frame simultaneously without interference. This enables the completion ofwiring operation in a relatively short time. Wire of type TTF commercially used for electric motor controls is readily dispensable from the rack of invention, utilizing both sides of the rack simultaneously.

The staggered relationship of the cross bars also permits a reel or spool which has been emptied to be replaced without interference with other spools; accordingly no substantial disruption of work occurs when a spool is replaced.

It is also to be noted that the inverted V-shape of the rack may be readily altered to receive spools of various sizes by merely pivoting the U-shaped frames relative to each other, the rubber covered feet being efiective to control against slippage in extended position of the frames of the rack.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser rack for spools, in combination, a planar frame of U-shape having a pair of substantially parallel, vertically extending tubular legs, a hollow cylindrical spool-supporting cross-bar extending between the legs and having on one end thereof a tubular head re ceived over a first tubular leg of the frame and slidably and rotatably mounted on the first leg, a first collar fixed in the first leg below the head and normally abutting the head to restrict downward motion of the head on the first leg, a second collar fixed on the first leg above the head and spaced therefrom, a coil spring around the leg abutting between the head and second collar and normally biasing the head toward the first collar, the

head being raisable by manual pressure against the action of the spring, the other end of the cross-bar being free, said spool supporting cross-bar being movable in a plane transverse to the plane of the frame, a half cup socket formed on the second leg and positioned to receive therein the free end of the cross-bar, a plurality of similar supporting cross-bars in vertical relation on said planar frame, a second U-shaped planar frame, said frames having upper closed ends, pivot means connecting the upper closed ends of said frames together, and said second frame having supporting cross-bars in staggered vertically spaced relation with the cross-bars of said first mentioned frame.

2. A dispenser rack for reels comprising first and second vertically extending U-shaped planar frames having tubular legs, closed upper ends and open lower ends and rubber covered feet on the tubular legs, pivot means retaining the closed upper frame ends together, reel support means on each of the frames movable between latched and unlatched positions, the reel support means comprising vertically spaced cross-bars and the crossbars of the first frame being staggered vertically relative to the cross-bars of the second frame, the cross-bars extending substantially between and being supported by the frame legs in the latched position thereof and being swingable outwardly of the rack in the unlatched position thereof transversely to the U-shaped planar frames whereby a reel may be mounted on the cross-bar in the said unlatched position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 70,260 Potter Oct. 29, 1867 357,534 Newton et al. Feb. 8, 1887 425,417 Fritz Apr. 15, 1890 612,623 Benesh Oct. 18, 1898 1,130,591 Gray Mar. 2, 1915 1,581,352 Kuen Apr. 20, 1926 1,910,666 Babson May 23, 1933 1,991,926 Gregory et al. Feb. 19, 1935 

